Display device



*Jan. 19, 1932.

F. w. GIBSON 1,842,262

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Dec. 18, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1?; Dell t0! 121011613714 6 60 Jan. 19, 1932. 2.55% 1,842,262

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Dec. 18, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Even to! UN'ITED STA Patented Jan. 19, 1932 s PATENT OFFICE I rumors w, ernsom or wEs'r noxB RY, massacrtusnrrs; ASSIGNOR "r0 THE 1:. D.

BEACH coMr mLY, or" cosnocron,

j DISPLAY OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO DEVICE Application filed December m, 1930. Serial 170,503,249,

This invention relates to display racks and particularly to a rack adapted to display and ofier for sale a plurality of small articlesor small packs, in each casepermitting an easy and almost automatic arrangement of diiferent articles 1n separatecompartments in such manner that .the descriptive matter and advertising borne by each package may "at all times clearly be seen. a 1 y The several compartments,which are of general rhomboidal shape, are providedwith openings permitting aneasy access to the goods and are so designed that the movement of the hand invreaching for and withdrawing the goods is a practically continuous movement. y

The general rhomboidal shape of the pockets permits a self-centering of thegoods which naturally gravitate into position therein so that it is possible to fillthe several compartments of the rack without the care which is usually necessary to stack packages so that the same will not be likely tofall from position; When loaded the goods are displayed horizontally, thatis at right angles to the eye, and the labels may be read easily.

While my rack is used to excellent advantage in the display of elongated packages such as the common packages of lift savers and chocolate bars, it is also within the scope of my invention to produce' ny novel display in the form of whole counters, suitable for use in stores in such departments as sundries Where it is desirable to present to view a large number of articles either of similar or varied nature. Such a counter is not too high to per-' unit the sales person to reach forward and downward to remove any selected article correspondingly lessened.

-Heretofore compartmented display structures have been suggested and in some cases used to more or less advantage. WVhen, how ever, such compartments were open faced there was a general tendency ofthe goods, when the compartments were filled above'the necessary retaining Walls or flanges to slip off the shelf or supporting member, or a likelihood that the goods would'be disturbed or accidentally displaced by customers removing packs in the case of a sale. If retaining walls held the goods in the pockets, these at the same time tended partiallyto hide the same and the effectiveness of the display was In the case ofmy display rack, it is quite impossible for the packs to escape from the compartments or to be accidentally displaced. This advantage in my stand results from the fact that the supporting surfaces of each rhomboidal pocket comprises two sloping walls uniting in a V-shaped channel. As both wallsaresubstantiallyequal, any rolling or sliding tendency of the packages is a natural gravitation toward the point of the V.

The horizontal partitions, which in part, define the individual compartments, are slotted to permit the passage therethrough of vertical partitions, and these vertical partitions may readily be removed from the slots 9 so that all the space between any pair of horizon'tal partitions may be cleaned or dusted as one unit. a r a 1 While I have discussed and illustratedmy invention especially as adapted to the display of elongated packages such as candy rolls, it will be apparent that it may be used with equally satisfactory results in a display of a great variety of articles including such hard- 7 a Ware as screws, bolts, or nuts, or in fact almost any articles which will lie within the dimensionsof the pockets. Inthe case of certain articles it may be desirable to provide vertical partitions at eachextreme edge of the display area This may readily be done 7 Without departing fromthe spirit ofmy invention.

Inthe drawings Ihave illustrated and in l the specification describeda form of my invention which has proven highly satisfactory in practical use. Throughout the specification and drawings like reference numerals 1 of generally triangularr side-elevation.

This body portion is hollow and the interior thereof may be employed as a storage space Sfor additionalsupplies of the articles to- The bottom or-fioor be displayed thereon. panel 1 extends forwardly beyond the point where it meets the inclined display bearing surface'P, and servesas the base- 2 for a smaller similarly shaped body 2 which likewise to a lesser extent may also serve-as a storage compartment.

The two inclined: surfaces 1 and 2 are united to form a wide mouthed \I -shaped bearing: surface, the walls 1 and 2 being of equal inclination and: affording a support for thegoods to be-displayed.

On the same horizontal plane asthe top of the upright or vertical wall fz there is disposed transversely of the inclined "surface l a hori'zontal partition 3 of the general'construction illustrated in Fig. 2. The'partition 3' has a rear ii-angel) which is adapted'to be riveted to the wall! 1 as at 4; A front flange 3 oflesser 'height'but' disposed atgenerally'the same angleto the partitionBis turned upwardly to define the outermost supporting surface 1 of the partition 3.- This partition 3 serves=as aroof for'the'compartmerit G .therebeneath.

This partition 3, togetherwith-thatp01 tion of the bearing surface 1 just" above its point of union thereto combine to define a second compartment C similar in all respects to: that ust therebenea-th'; and r a second similar partition 3 disposed at the same angle to the-inclined surface '1 provides a rooffor the compartment: therebelow, and with the surface 1 defines still another compartment 0. Additional similancompartments C may beprovidedaccording to the size ofthe area land th e, distance between the partitions-'3.

The three storie'd structure illustrated has provenito; be particularly satisfactory both as to size of the displaystand asa whole and asto size of pocket:

The horizontal partitions 3 may be- 'subw divided by any suitable number o1 similar vertically inclinedi partitions 5:- The part' tions 3 are slotted transversely as atrfi; a l the partitions 5 areslippedxtherethrough 1m interlocking-relation. Each pocketi thus de- 3' fined by the-partitions3ran'd 5ris of general rhomboidal shape and each is open-faced to permit easy loading of the compartments with the goods to be displayed and permit ready entry of the hand to remove the same therefrom.

In the case of .such goods as candy rolls, it is-possibleto use the tray without partitions 5 enclosing the end compartments of each tier, and there is some advantage in such a construction as the goods may be placed inand removed'irom theside as well as from the front of a compartment. As statedabove, such partitions may readily be provided when. desired and would prevent any entry of the pocket except through the frontopening.

A's-shown lIlfFlgS. l and 3, the backwall 1 of the member 1 extends; above the inclinedv surfacel andmaybe suitably ornamented orb ear advertising'matter'as desired; The frontxpanel or uprightQ? of; the member 2 may be. similarly used. The: rear wall 1. of ofieach ipocketmay" also bedecoratedor bear matter descriptive of thecontent ofthe packs to be displayed.

Inasmuch as the, front ofeach horizontal partition is practically on the same planeas theback of'the partition next, above, the entire compartment'may be: filled withithe goods to be displayed :without any'possibility of the same escaping, and at the same time be clearly visible both from front and side asthe glass partitions donot obstruct or prevent aready view of the goods-in ad: joining compartments Ass articles are placed in these compartments they naturally gravitate towardv the point of joinderofthe two inclined bearing surfaces; andthis gravitation continues as to all new supplies of goods added: After the \l-shaped portion of the-pockets is loaded thesgoods may be built upward, the front inclination of the. same corresponding to the slope oi":themember1 andthe outer edge of the glass partition-5. When all the pocketsa are-filled to capacity, a continuoussloping field ofthe displayed goods is presented. Such adisplay is not only attractive but decidedly practical.

In use, the first pack to be removed of necessity will be: one of the'line that unites the; two outer edges of the partitions 3. If the topmost pack is taken the rest of the packwill not be affected, but if-alower package 7 be removed,- the packs thereabove' will simply drop down each one-place. Inthe case of former displays of this typeinwhich the outer layer of. goods consisted of one erected on another, the removal of one would cause allabove to spill outibeyond the 0011-,

fines-of the retaining. flanges.

The rack ofthe particular type illustrated has found, a ready usev in connectionwith the sale of the confection known as Life Savers. These.- are packeditwenty rolls to abox, and each ofthe nine compartments of the rack illustrated will hold one full box. In the case of this particular candy, the three tiered rack aflords a practicallycompletedisplay of the several flavors in which the goods are provided. With other goods a lesser or greater number of pockets may be supplied, the number, length and spacing,

of the partitions being varied without departing from the spirit of my invention if within the limits of the appended claims.

- What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A display device comprisinga floor, triangular side walls terminating inwardly of oneend thereof, and a top uniting said side walls and said floor and providing a forwardly inclined surface, a second pair of I triangular side walls a front member uniting the same, and a plurality of flanged shelf members, one of said shelves being supported at its ends by the inclined edges of said second named side walls, with one of its flanges contacting said front member and its other flange overlying the lower edge of said top member and providing a surface of similar but opposite inclination to said first named display surface and uniting therewith to define a pocket for goods to be displayed.

2. A display device comprising a floor, triangular side walls terminating inwardly of one end thereof, and a top unitingsaid side walls and said floor and providing a forwardly inclined surface, a second pair of triangu- V lar side Walls, a front member uniting the same, and a plurality of'flanged shelf members, oneof said shelves being supported at its ends by the inclined edges of said second named side walls, with one of its flanges conbers, one of said shelves being supported by tacting said front member" and its other flange overlying the lower edge of said top 1 member and providing a surface of similar the inclined edges of said second named side walls and providing a surface of similar but opposite inclination to said first named display surface and uniting therewith to define a pocket for goods to be displayd, a second shelf mounted on said top andsospaced from said first shelf that its lower flange is disposed in the plane of the upper flange of said first shelf and its outer flange overlying the channel of the pocket defined by said first shelf and said top, and providing a roof for said pocket, and with said top defining a second pocket. 2

In testimony whereof I aflix m signature.

FRANCIS W. IBSON. 

